Golden Cargoes

Set in 1589, Buckley’s tense 21st Tudor mystery (after Shadow of Spain) finds Ursula Stannard—half-sister of Elizabeth I and an occasional spy—with nothing more on her mind than making an appearance at the wedding of a tenant’s beautiful daughter, Arabella Mercer, whose family holds many unpleasant secrets. Trying to be helpful to Arabella’s difficult mother, Ursula visits the local healer, Mother Lee, for a migraine remedy and is surprised to spot two golden goblets, unlikely riches for a humble healer to possess. Ursula suspects something fishy is going on after learning from a sea captain that the goblets are part of a set taken as booty from a Spanish ship—and when Mother Lee is strangled, she’s sure of it. Meanwhile, Ursula is summoned to court and discovers that the queen and her counselors are disturbed by rumors of a trio of English ships that are robbing their fellow Englishmen rather than attacking Spanish vessels. It’s up to Ursula to search the southeast corner of England for the hidden treasure of the pirates, a mission riddled with danger. As usual, Buckley’s vivid portrayal of the resourceful, clever, and devious Ursula carries the plot. Readers will hope to continue seeing more of her. Agent: David Grossman, David Grossman Literary (U.K.). (Aug.)